---
title: O.C.G.A. § 9-12-4. Construction of verdicts.
collection: code
id: 9-12-4
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 9-12-4 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/9-12-4
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/9-12-4.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/9-12-4/text
source_url: https://archive.org/download/gov.ga.ocga.2024/T09%20Ch12-16%20%28V7A%29%202015.pdf#page=9
date: 2025
status: active
corpus_version: 2025-supplement-89aa39ab3c68
license: CC0-1.0
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
up: https://georgiacommons.org/code/9-12.md
previous: https://georgiacommons.org/code/9-12-3.md
next: https://georgiacommons.org/code/9-12-5.md
index: https://georgiacommons.org/code/index.md
version: the only printed version
in_force: true
current_through: Including Acts of the 2025 Regular Session of the General Assembly
heading_path: CIVIL PRACTICE / VERDICT AND JUDGMENT / GENERAL PROVISIONS
---

# O.C.G.A. § 9-12-4. Construction of verdicts.

Verdicts shall have a reasonable intendment and shall receive a reasonable construction. They shall not be avoided unless from necessity.

## History

Orig. Code 1863, § 3481; Code 1868, § 3503; Code 1873, § 3561; Code 1882, § 3561; Civil Code 1895, § 5332; Civil Code 1910, § 5927; Code 1933, § 110-105.

## Law Reviews

For comment on Finch v. State, 87 Ga. App. 426, 74 S.E.2d 121 (1953), granting defendant a new trial where the jury returned inconsistent verdicts, see 17 Ga. B.J. 381 (1955).